I saw that... it was pretty good. My friend who I went with has seen most of the samurai movies that exist in the world, and I haven't, so I can't say, but he seemed to think it was good but not really any better than the old ones.
Speaking of samurai movies... The same dude showed me this movie the other day, the first of the "Hanzo the Razor" series, about a renegade samurai who fights crime WITH HIS PENIS... to the tune of an amazing funk soundtrack. It was unlike anything I have ever seen... it was the exact meeting point of serious japanese cinema and trashy sexploitation. Bizarre, but great in its own strange way. I guess the guy who starred in it was also the original Zatoichi, and the character was created by the same guy who created Lone Wolf and Cub. If you like fucked up dark comedy and/or samurai flicks, check that one out.
Link.